Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Ralph Lauren to Visit Washington Heights High School for Mural Painting

By Carolina Pichardo | March 15, 2016 12:02pm
 Ralph Lauren at Lincoln Center in 2011.
Ralph Lauren at Lincoln Center in 2011.
View Full Caption
Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Ralph Lauren

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — World-famous designer Ralph Lauren will visit a local high school Tuesday as part of an effort to beautify it while promoting the arts.

The fashion guru and members of his staff are joining students of the High School for Media and Communications at 549 Audubon Ave. to help paint a mural designed by student Austin Peña, a school official said.

Peña, a junior, and his art teacher, Edwin Montalvo, created the mural as part of the school’s arts program, according to Assistant Principal Emel Topbas-Mejia. 

“One of the things we’re doing this year is renewing our music program, so it’s a mural in appreciation of the arts and the impact the arts have on our students’ lives,” Topbas-Mejia said of the work, which will be located on the building's first floor.

She noted that the school teamed up with Citizens Committee for New York City, a nonprofit that provides micro-grants and support for community projects, in addition to the Ralph Lauren team.

This isn’t the first time the High School for Media and Communications has hosted a celebrity event to encourage students.

In December, the school brought in “American Crime” star Elvis Nolasco to talk about his Uptown upbringing and acting career.

Lauren is scheduled to participate in the event on Tuesday from 1 to 4 p.m.